In Pathos
by diarrhetic.pen
Summary: AU. Kyoko needs to turn her life around. Start with a clean slate. Now she works with the law to bring criminals to justice. Believing she could help others is one thing, reopening old wounds is another. Just how far would she go to stop being a victim?
1. Chapter 1

**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 1_

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Kyoko sat straight and unmoving as she waited. Waited for the voice that would finally end this ordeal. The men and women seated on the pews around her waited minute after agonizing minute along with her. Anticipation hung heavy in the air. _Any moment now._

Her eyes darted to the ornate oak door to the front, willing it to open. The silence that abound reminded her heavily of the church she used to go to back in her hometown. Except that instead of the pipe organ that played music in the background, she heard pens scribbling furiously on paper and documents being shuffled. And instead of the white robe donned by parish priest, the man emerging from the door was wearing black.

She had to remind herself that this wasn't a place of faith and divinity. This was a place where sin and depravity were laid bare. This was a place of judgment, where men bask in the glory and the power of being able to play god. Where truth and lies hung equally on the balance, and good and evil walk hand in hand.

It had been a difficult one to start with. A kidnapping. It was always hard when a child was involved. But what made it so complicated was that the opposing parties were the biological parents of the kidnapped girl, and that the plaintiff was a prostitute, while the defendant, a respected university professor.

At first glance, most had sided with the father's decision to forcefully take the child. However, as the case progressed, layer after layer of hidden motives and personal desires were peeled like the skins of an onion. And as they got closer to the core, the tears started coming more easily.

Questions were raised on the reasons why the father had waited more than ten years to act despite rejecting the mother when she had first informed him of the pregnancy. And why it had been such a coincidence that the professor's wife had been enthusiastically reconnecting with friends and acquaintances associated with social services and adoption agencies just before the child was taken.

It was later discovered that the couple's inability to conceive had put a strain on their relationship over the years, and that the wife had wished to adopt despite her husband's protests. Rather than caring for an unrelated child, he had decided to take the one that he already had.

Ultimately, Kyoko did not care about these details. Instead, she was looking at the mother who was desperately fighting for the right to keep her daughter. Admittedly, she did not have the best circumstances, or the best resources, to rear a child, but the love between them was undeniable.

The child in question was sitting quietly beside the court-appointed social worker. Clad in a pink lace-trimmed dress, the girl looked every inch the innocent victim. She kept swinging her stockinged feet and looking longingly at her mother, as if asking how much longer she needed to wait until they could go home.

Both parties were asked to stand. Finally, the jury had come to a decision. It had been a long and tiring journey, but the end of the road was almost at hand. Kyoko felt her throat constrict. She hoped against hope that beyond the scandal, the custody battle and the paternity suit, people would see the simple truth that she saw. That nobody had the right to separate this devoted mother and her daughter.

The past few days leading to that moment had frazzled Kyoko's nerves. She had become emotionally invested in the case. Like always.

The judge read the verdict and handed it back to the jury. Kyoko bit her lip. The jury stood to announce their verdict.

For a moment Kyoko thought she might have gone deaf. There was a split-second of complete silence before the room erupted into chaos. Only one word registered in her confounded mind. _Guilty._

Amidst the mixed shouts of jubilation and the final pounding of the gavel, Kyoko slipped silently out of the courtroom. She felt a mixture of relief, vindication, and an odd sense of loss. The latter was an emotion she felt at the end of every case, whether they won it or not. Perhaps it was because while the case was ongoing, she had something to focus her energy into, and now that it's finished, she had to find a new purpose and move on.

She walked towards the water dispenser at the end of the hall. She needed a moment to compose herself and disassociate from the recent events. She took an empty cup and watched the air bubble up within the inverted bottle as she flipped the spigot and cold water started to flow out. As soon as the plastic cup was full, she took a swig and sat down on the nearby bench. Cradling the half-empty cup in her hands, she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Miss Mogami!"

Kyoko sat up as she heard her name being called. The source was the woman clad in a simple black pantsuit striding purposefully towards her. Just a while ago, the same woman was pale as a sheet as she awaited the outcome of the battle between her and the father of her child. Looking at her now, nobody would suspect what she had just been through.

In her arms she carried her daughter, streaks of tears still fresh on both of their faces. Kyoko allowed herself a smile as she remembered how the woman had vowed to leave her current "job" and finally set up the store she had saved up for years once everything was all over.

As she stood up to meet the two, she felt a newer, more foreign emotion. Envy. _Oh, how she wished she had…_ But then again, there was no use hoping for the impossible.

"This… all this wouldn't be possible without your help." It was more a statement of fact than anything else. The woman was really unbelievable. She continued, "I don't know how to thank you. Talk is cheap, I know, but I – _we _– owe you one. One the size of the Atlantic. If you need, anyth—"

"I didn't do too much," Kyoko cut her off. "If anything, you owe your lawyer," at this she glanced at the tall man standing quietly to the side, "more than me, _Miss Kotonami_."

* * *

_Dedicated to LilyandIvy. A little something for up until I get my next break from my post-grad paper labors._

_Standard disclaimers as follows._

_Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor._

_And yes, I'm still lightyears away from owning Skip Beat. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Just a note to one of the reviewers of the chapter I posted earlier. Somehow I couldn't PM you._

_Zay: I wasn't actually thinking of setting the fic in Japan because I didn't think the culture would fit with the type of story I had in mind. And no, your comment didn't annoy me. I actually think a lot of the readers would think the same way so I think it's worth clarifying some details of the case. It's not about parental kidnapping. The case was about kidnapping. The professor never acknowledged the child when she was born and he never signed any documents to ever indicate that he was the father. While Kanae claimed he was the father ten years prior, due to lack of documentation and the nature of her, uh, work, he'd have to prove actual paternity. At the time of the abduction, lacking any evidence to the contrary, he was not the child's father in the eyes of the law. So the term parental kidnapping is not applicable and hence, the setting of the fic is actually a moot point. Sorry if this was such a long explanation, but I do research. I just don't write very well._

_On with the story…_

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**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 2_

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Kyoko stared at herself in the mirror._ What was wrong with her? _The case had been closed and won a few days ago, so why was she so restless?

_Get a grip, Kyoko. You have to keep moving forward. You have to do this._

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, the young woman turned and opened the bathroom door, letting the loud pounding music wash over her.

-----

"What took you so long in there?"

Kyoko turned to the source of the voice. Yukihito Yashiro. Easily one of the most good-looking men she'd ever seen, the blonde twenty-something never failed to attract attention from the ladies. With his bandboyish looks and soft gentlemanly demeanor, he could have easily gotten work somewhere else. Instead, he was bussing tables in this bar. Like her.

"If you're finished gawking at my beautiful face, mind answering the question?"

And that absurd sense of humor. How could she forget?

With a short chuckle, Kyoko replied, "I was just freshening up. Getting ready for the long night ahead, you know?"

"Oh, I know. _This_," the man answered, looking down at what he was wearing for the evening, "is definitely going to be one of those nights."

Kyoko spared a glance at what he was wearing and nearly laughed out loud. The boss had the brilliant idea of hosting a theme night once a month, and tonight was sci-fi night. They'd been supplied with costumes that were personally chosen for them by their eccentric employer, and apparently, he had thought Yashiro would make a brilliant C-3P0. The only thing was, his idea of a costume was not what people normally had in mind.

The soft-spoken man was now clad in a hooded shiny gold spandex bodysuit, complete with matching gloves and boots.

"At least I got to keep my glasses on this time," Yashiro blew a stray lock of hair out of his face and let out a very audible sigh.

Kyoko sympathized with him. She was just a bit better off than the man. She'd been made to look like Uhura, but the extremely short skirt of her Starfleet uniform was making her very uncomfortable. She'd wanted the more androgynous standard duty uniforms of The Next Generation, which she saw on the Internet, but her idea had been immediately rejected by the boss. Well, not that she would ever be in danger of being harassed in this particular gay bar, but still, the clothes made her feel like she'd forgotten to wear bottoms.

"Oi! Enough of the chit-chat! Break it up you two! Back to WORK!"

Immediately, both of them rounded towards the bar, where they were greeted by the sight of a shouting platinum-blonde… _paint-roller_?

"Yuki, the VIPs are waiting upstairs for those drinks! Shoo! Shoo!"

Their boss pointed his scepter towards the stairwell to force Yashiro to move along. Lory Takarada had opted to dress up as Ruby Rhod from The Fifth Element, complete with an almost invisible headset and microphone that apparently actually is linked to the club's sound system, seeing as he used it to reprimand her and Yashiro.

Kyoko had to admit that the character was a perfect fit for the club owner. The man always demanded to be the center of attention, and his hairstyle alone would probably be enough to do the job. She wondered briefly how much larger the hole of the ozone layer got just to make the boss' hair jut out like that.

Noticing that Yashiro wasn't by her side anymore, she stood on her tiptoes and searched the area for any signs of him. Almost immediately, she spied the man ascending the corner staircase. Not that it was hard to find him.

"HEY!" She called out to him. At the sound, Yashiro stopped and turned around, a tray of drinks balanced precariously on his left hand.

"Be careful not to get hit by the lights! We don't want you blinding anybody!"

Yashiro made a move to clutch his stomach. _Haha. Hilarious. My stomach's aching from too much laughing._ The gesture seemed to say.

Kyoko saw him straighten up after and cup one hand to the side of his mouth, taking a deep breath before delivering his retaliation.

"And you need to take care not to flash those fugly panties! Don't want anyone getting nightmares for the next twenty years!"

Kyoko stuck out her tongue and grinned at the man who haughtily turned around and resumed his climb of the stairs.

Once he was out of sight, Kyoko's smile disappeared. Yashiro had been genuinely concerned about her earlier. She had to be careful not to worry other people. The banter had obviously taken his mind off it but the young woman felt a bit bad about deceiving the kind man. Even though her intentions were good, she never liked pretending in front of others. She'd always unintentionally attuned herself to other people's emotions and as a result, she would automatically adjust her disposition to reflect what they liked or needed to see. And she wouldn't realize she'd done it until after the fact. Sometimes she never realized _at all_.

Weighted by what she perceived as a wrong she had committed against a friend, Kyoko dragged her feet towards the bar where the boss was waiting for her. And instantly got distracted.

Up close, she was struck by how Lory Takarada's leopard print outfit looked just like the original. She scanned the floor and noticed that a lot of people were in similarly garish outfits, although quite a few had been very inventive and had obviously put some effort into their costumes. The whole place now looked like a cross between a Blade Runner bar and a comic book convention. She even saw a xenomorph dancing with the Master Chief from Halo sans the helmet.

The young woman shook her head. She felt like she had stepped into the Twilight Zone. Theme night was always different, but this was just… _bizarre_.

Just as she was ducking under the counter to help with mixing drinks, the boss laid a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going any further.

In answer to her questioning look, he motioned with his head towards the back rooms, and in a quiet voice, he told her, "Don't worry about serving drinks tonight. I need you for something else. The usual."

Kyoko felt her breathing hitch and glanced at the general direction of the rooms. There was a seemingly invisible line that cordoned it from the rest of the club. Regulars knew of the unspoken rule that no one was allowed to hover within a meter of the curtained entrance to what was now known to the clubbers as "the dungeons". Unknowing stragglers were promptly advised by either the employees or by other club-goers. Those who refused to comply were unceremoniously thrown out and banned from ever setting foot in the place again.

At that moment, a Tron program chose to climb one of the prop walls, and not so-subtly landed on a now irate Neo. Or Trinity. Kyoko wasn't sure anymore.

She took the distraction as her cue to slip unnoticed into the dungeons. As she silently passed through the heavy red curtains, she gave one last glance back to make sure no one saw her, and promptly came face-to-face with a white sneering goateed man.

"Good evening."

It wasn't until she heard the monotonous greeting that Kyoko realized that the man in the Guy Fawkes mask was just Sebastian in his usual post. Why he had to participate and dress up as V when none of the revelers outside would see him was beyond her.

After giving the boss' right hand man a stiff smile, Kyoko proceeded down the dimly lit hallway.

_Click. Clack._ The heels of her boots echoed steadily through the corridor, the party music from outside becoming more muffled as she went further down.

_The usual_. So that would mean she had to go to the farthest and most secluded room. Arriving at her destination, all Kyoko could hear was the loud pounding of her heart against her ribcage as she reached one shaky hand towards the doorknob.

* * *

_The End. Not._

_I told someone I'd post all the fics that are currently sitting on my documents folder because I've gotten so sick of having them stare at me, so here you go. Might as well get them out as it might be a while before I get to writing again. Need to put my studies on top of my priority list._

_Sorry about the geeky references to sci-fi films. Would it be a surprise if I said I'm a fan?_

_As you may have noticed, the characters would be slightly OOC but I'm going to retain their core personalities and motivations. You know, Kyoko wanting to please everybody, Kanae's single-minded determination, Yashiro's mothering instincts, Lory being a megalomaniac, etc. etc. This is AU so I was hoping I'd get a bit of artistic license to tweak the story and people a bit. Okay, maybe a lot._

_And yes, I made Yashiro and Lory gay. I dared._


	3. Chapter 3

**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 3_

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Kyoko took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. And just stood there.

She had felt anxious going in. Felt the heady rush of blood and adrenaline throughout her body with each step. She felt excited. Energized. She had felt_ alive_.

But now she just felt… _odd_. She stood there in awkward silence, basking in the men's incredulous gazes.

"Why didn't anyone tell me we had to wear disguises?"

The voice was from Hikaru Ishibashi. The leader of the group.

Kyoko hung her head and sighed for the umpteenth time that night. So much for her exhilaration. Now she knew it was really going to be a long night.

"I'm not in disguise. The club's got a sci-fi theme tonight," the young woman patiently explained. "Then why didn't you tell us about it?" This time it was Yuusei, the youngest, speaking.

"Because I didn't know you were coming?"

"Even Ren's in costume." Hikaru again. "Look," he pointed at the man sitting quietly on the opposite couch. "He came as one of the Men In Black!"

"I'm always in a suit."

"How come he knew and we didn't? That," Hikaru continued as if the other man had not spoken, "is just not fair."

Kyoko didn't answer. Sometimes the best response, is none at all.

Instead, she focused her gaze on the men gathered in the room. Four. This was quite unexpected. Normally, she met with one or two of them, but never more than that at any single time. And certainly not with Ren Tsuruga. Something was up. Definitely.

"So," Kyoko began, "why do we have a full house today? Must be something big if you're all here."

The three men seated on the left looked at each other, clearly not wanting to be the first to speak on the matter. Only Ren remained calm.

"We need your help." Shinichi was Yuusei's twin and the more serious of the two. Kyoko looked at him, his expression adding gravity to the already somber mood that permeated the room.

"I can't."

This confused the men. Well, everyone except the "Man in Black", as he had been called earlier. Ren didn't seem surprised by her answer. He looked as though he had been expecting it even.

"Wait," Hikaru stood up. "You haven't even heard what we were going to ask of you, and already, you're refusing?" "This isn't like you, Kyoko," the twins piped up.

"You know I would love to help you. I've even looked forward to this." Kyoko looked down, apologetic about her refusal. Hikaru saw this and promptly sat back down, her downcast expression forcing all three to relent and listen. "Your reactions just now, and all of you being here, it just proves how big – and important – this must be. And that," Kyoko leveled her gaze at them now, "is exactly why I cannot be involved. You know that the chief only tolerates me because I get paid cheaper than a real profiler. But you know he won't let me handle a big case. I'd be a liability. Nobody would give weight to the opinions of an unqualified amateur."

"Miss Mogami, please sit down."

Kyoko tightened her right hand around the doorknob. She hadn't let go of it since coming into the room, and she wasn't going to do so now. There hadn't been any visible, or audible, signs of any change to the lawyer's countenance. If anything, he was even smiling. But something tells the young woman that her words had aggravated the man. How and why, she didn't have a clue.

"_Please."_

It sounded more like an order than a polite request to Kyoko's ears, but she followed nonetheless. Not that she felt she had any other choice. Warily, she sat down on the only available space. Which was on the couch beside the terrifyingly smiling Ren.

The dark-haired man took one look at her and silently took off his jacket, handing it to Kyoko afterwards. The girl looked at him quizzically, "I'm not cold."

At this, the laconic attorney cocked one eyebrow, as if saying, _Really? Are you sure?_ Getting just a confused stare in return, Ren gestured towards her legs.

Only then did Kyoko realize that her already short skirt had hiked even further up her thighs when she had sat down. And that Hikaru had been staring opposite her the whole time.

Cursing at her stupidity, she promptly slammed the black coat unto her lap, murmuring her thanks to Ren for his thoughtfulness, and desperately hoping that no one had seen anything inappropriate. The last thought had her blushing furiously. She should have taken Yashiro's jibe earlier a lot more seriously.

"Uh," Shinichi was the first to break the suddenly uncomfortable atmosphere. "Let me just close the door."

"NO!"

The young detective froze in a semi-crouching position. He was getting up to stand when he heard the girl's panicked shout. The surprise had him holding the pose for longer than necessary, making him look like something out of a Frankenstein movie.

"J-just leave it like that. Please. It… uh… It's a-a bit stuffy in here."

Kyoko felt foolish for letting them see an outburst like that. But she couldn't help the sudden terror. It had been instinctive.

"You always say it's stuffy. Even if it's not." The other men glared at Yuusei, wordlessly telling him to shut up. He didn't get the warning.

"What is it with you and clos—_umff_!" Shinichi had practically stuffed his hand into his tactless twin's mouth. Everyone, save for the youngest, and admittedly the most idiotic, of them, had realized from their previous encounters with the young woman, that she was a bit of a claustrophobe. Nobody has asked her about it because Kyoko didn't seem inclined to discuss it. The older twin blamed himself for momentarily forgetting about this particular quirk of hers.

"I'm sorry," Kyoko was now examining the toes of her boots. "But if you're worried someone might hear, Sebastian's on guard so you can all rest easy."

"We know, so I don't think it would be much of a problem leaving the door a bit open. Is that okay with you gentlemen?" Ren turned to the three police detectives in front of him for agreement. Hikaru nodded. The other two were still busy wrestling with each other.

He shifted his gaze back towards Kyoko. She tried not to fidget under his intense scrutiny. "First things first. The chief _tolerates_ you, as you say, not because you cost less, but because your psychological profiles have never missed the mark. Not even the best profilers in the force could boast of a perfect track record. You just haven't been assigned a big case because of the risks to your safety. Also," Ren raised his hand to stop any of Kyoko's forthcoming protests, "you are not a liability and never have been. Unqualified? You are one of the, no, _the_ top student of the Academy and personally referred to the Bureau chief by Dr. Asami."

"So don't ever say you're a nobody. It's rude to the people who have put their faith in you."

"Sorry," Kyoko whispered almost inaudibly, incessantly wringing her hands with her head bowed down, sufficiently chastised.

Ren sighed, suddenly feeling guilty. "Look, I didn't come here to lecture you. We came to ask for your help. But," he paused for a moment to make certain he had her full attention. Noting that she had stopped moving her hands, he continued, "_not_ to put together a criminal dossier. Well, maybe a bit of your behavioral expertise would be needed."

Kyoko whipped her head up, intrigued by what the handsome lawyer just said. "If it's not to profile, then what do you need me for?"

"A sting operation."

* * *

_Okay, so I said it might be a while before I update. And now a new chapter barely days after the last one. But really, the more I remind myself that I have other important things to do, the more I feel the impulse to write. So yeah, I cannot be trusted as to when I would update. Maybe next time, I'll force myself to write, so I'd find work and studies as distractions. Reverse psychology 101._


	4. Chapter 4

**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 4_

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Kyoko stared long and hard at the opposite wall of the room. Her "visitors" had long been gone, but she was still mulling over the conversation they had. It was going to be a large-scale operation and they needed someone to infiltrate their target group. Someone with no visible links to the police and the DA's office. Someone like her. _An outsider._

They had been suspecting a mole amongst them and unless the leak has been plugged, they couldn't be too careful. There was too much to lose. Which was why she had been a logical choice. She was someone who has worked a few cases with a small unit of the local police force so she was mostly unknown to the other cops. To be more precise, the only people who knew of her there were the three detectives who had come earlier and Chief Sawara.

While it was true that she was recommended by one of her academy professors to help with the backlog of open cases, it was purely as a consultant, and not as an actual criminal profiler. When she had decided to take the job, she had told her boss about the possibility of having to take some last minute days off from waitressing if she gets too busy with police work. Lory Takarada had then been adamant that he should talk to the chief as he viewed himself as the only adult figure in her life. Not that it was true, of course. However, she had relented, hence, the set-up they now have of the police coming to her on "neutral grounds" as he had called the bar. It was for her own safety, she recalled the old man explain to her.

To be honest, she had thought that it was a bit of an exaggeration at the time and that he had been watching too many vampires versus werewolves movies. _Neutral grounds? Neutral between what?_ But now, she was thankful for it because it granted her the anonymity required for the task that had been placed on her lap. She had never associated with anyone other than the four men earlier and the chief. And some of the victims that she tried to help. But then again, during the times Kyoko had to talk to them, she had always been introduced as a consultant. A sort of private contractor. Furthermore, she'd never been allowed to directly observe suspects. She would be shown videos of interrogations or footage from crime scenes, but nothing beyond those.

And it seems like the young woman had proven to be a trustworthy colleague somewhere along the way. _I guess it also helps to have a celebrated retired profiler recommend you and a former high-ranking government official for your boss._ Yep. That's right. Lory Takarada, her outlandish employer and owner of L. ME, used to be one of the people who called the shots in the machinery that runs the country. Though she wasn't sure which part of the government exactly. The only reason she found out was because of a slip that the chief had made over a phone conversation. However, any further inquiries into the matter, whether with the chief or her boss himself, were immediately shot down and both had made it very clear to Kyoko that there would be no further mention of it. She had been curious, yes, but frankly, she didn't really care to know. Everybody had secrets. She should know this better than anyone else.

A slight rap on the open door interrupted her thoughts. Sebastian. He must be wondering why she was still there. "I'm okay," she responded to the unvoiced question. "Just gathering my thoughts before I head back out to Weirdsville."

The laconic man immediately left after she had spoken.

Kyoko stood up. She really should return to work. Theme nights were always busy and her boss would have her head if she slacked off. Besides, he'd probably ask her about tonight's powwow. Not that she would have much to say. They'd given her the general idea of the operation but the details would come later. When she accepts the job. Which, at the moment, she wasn't too sure about.

Sure, she wants to help. The enormity and importance of the task didn't really bother the fledgling profiler, but the nature of the group they were after felt a bit like it hit too close to home. She didn't like being too emotionally involved in cases, lest they become personal, and this, without question, would open scars. Scars she's tried years to hide.

Ren Tsuruga had noticed her hesitation earlier after they had explained what she would have to do. The young lawyer had told her to "sleep on it". They could give her two days to decide, but unfortunately, they couldn't afford more than that. Time was a bit of a scarce resource for their plan.

_I suppose I could wait until tomorrow to make up my mind_, Kyoko thought to herself as she walked out of the dungeon. She had always known that because of the career path she had chosen, she would inevitably have to face her demons. But they were of the sort that she would have rather come to terms with later rather than sooner.

_Was she brave enough? _A lecturer on one of the workshops she attended had joked that the only requirements for an effective profiler are a razor-sharp mind, nerves of steel and an ironclad stomach. Kyoko had all three down pat. _But what if her heart was made of glass? Glass that had far too many cracks on it? What then?_

Kyoko's head was starting to pound. She didn't want to think about it anymore. After all, she did say she wasn't going to decide right now. Tonight she was going to work, and tomorrow… well, tomorrow she would really have to deal with it. But until then, she would keep her mind on other things.

The hours passed very quickly, thoughts of the meeting earlier temporarily pushed to the back of her mind as the place became more crowded as the night wore on.

Before long, it was closing time and Kyoko could see Mr. Matsushima, the bar's bouncer, setting the last of stragglers on their way home. She straightened up from the table she was bent over wiping to see where her boss was. At the moment, he was at the till alone. Nobody within hearing distance. If she needed to tell him about what transpired earlier, then now was the perfect time.

Surprisingly, after she told him everything, the eccentric man only asked her if she wanted to do it. Normally, he'd ask her a million questions ranging from the mundane, like whether it would interfere with school, to the extremely outrageous, like whether she had finally gone on a date with Hikaru (he'd only ever asked her out to lunch once after she broke a case, by the way. Just to celebrate and nothing else, Kyoko knew. Which she had to turn down anyway because she had to get to class.). Not that she wanted her boss to ask those, but it was odd that he'd asked if she _wanted_ to do the task for herself. He had never asked before. Ever.

"I want to help," Kyoko told him.

"That's not what I asked." Lory Takarada turned to face the young woman fully. "You don't have to do what they're asking if you don't want to."

_Does she really want to do it?_ _Will it be worth the risk of losing the semblance of life that she had worked so hard to attain?_ She wasn't sure. Really. Kyoko could only stare back at the older man in return.

As she lay in bed an hour later, she tried not to think of anything. Not about the offered job, not about her life, nothing. But it proved a difficult task, and when she did drift off to sleep, it felt like mere seconds before she opened her eyes in a panic, sweating heavily, mouth open in a silent scream. She hasn't had that particular nightmare in a very long time. She hadn't even decided if she would take the job yet and already, her tribulations were starting. Kyoko didn't dare close her eyes until the first rays of the early morning sun seeped through the gaps in the curtains of her window.

* * *

_Yeah, I know. Far too few dialogues in this chapter. Had to be done though._


	5. Chapter 5

**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 5_

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It was one of those mornings that Kyoko wished was reflective of her current mood, but alas, even Mother Nature seemed intent to conspire against her. The early morning sun was intense and blinding in its brightness, the breeze ruffling the tree branches steady and cooling. Even the birds seemed to be chirping louder than usual today.

The young woman sighed. Everyone seemed to be cheered up by the wonderful weather. _Everyone except her._ She doesn't know which one annoys her, the fact that everybody seems intent on rubbing their happiness in her face, or that she, again, was incapable of feeling the same emotions as the people around her.

Kyoko wonders briefly whether she accidentally put on concrete blocks instead of her sneakers as she trudged her way to her classes. The lack of sleep was making her lethargic and the looming promise of an important decision to be made soon made her oblivious to the crowd gathering by the foot of the stairs.

So she didn't have any warning as she smacked into the long arm that blocked the way up the stairs.

"Too good to say high to an old friend now?"

_Dammit._ Kyoko didn't even have to look at the person to know who it was, but she did anyways and was greeted instantly by the sight of familiar blue eyes. Eyes that screamed _Pay attention to me_.

"Move it, Shoutaro. I don't have time for this." She could have pretended to be civil or at least humored him a bit just to get him off her back, but today, she just had too much on her plate to deal with added drama. Over his shoulder she could see his assistant, Mimori Nanokura glaring daggers at her. _Great. Just effing great._

"Look," Kyoko tells the man tiredly when he still didn't move his arm, "just tell me what you want already and let's get this over with." The mischief in Shoutaro Fuwa's eyes was immediately replaced with something else.

"School proving too much for you?" Kyoko recognized the concern veiled by the apparent insult. Years ago she would have been flattered by it, but now, she'd learned that with the handsome young man, it was always ninety-percent about himself and ten percent actual affection for somebody else. Especially if there was an audience present. _Like now._

She would have loved to tell him to drop the caring act, but doing so in front of the students that treated the hotshot lawyer like a god would not have been good for her. So she resolved to tell him the truth. Well, at least some of it.

"I'm not tired because of studying," she offered as a matter of explanation. "I just didn't sleep well." As soon as the words left Kyoko's mouth, she immediately regretted saying them. This was Shoutaro. Someone she had grown up with. Someone who knew that she'd always had night terrors. And why she had them.

She opened her mouth to say something. Anything. But she couldn't come up with a feasible excuse. She tried to tell him that her neighbors had a party that ended late, but the lie died on her lips at the crazy look in his eyes. She was terrified. Terrified of the question he was going to ask next.

"Kyoko, what are you dawdling there for?"

She looked up to see a petite young woman standing on top of the stairs. Chiori. Kyoko had never been more grateful to see the brunette. She quickly darted under the arm blocking her way and ran up the stairs, avoiding any further conversation with Shoutaro.

"Honestly, I would never have pinned you as a Sho Fuwa fangirl." Chiori Amamiya's tone belied the nonchalance of the statement. To Kyoko's ears it sounded like _What the hell are you doing, talking with the pride of the Law Department?_

Kyoko was getting tired of this. Why can't everybody just say what they actually mean?

In the end, she just settled with a short, "I'm not." It wasn't like it was any of her classmate's business anyway, Kyoko told herself. Chiori wasn't even somebody she would call a friend. The shorter girl was more of something between that and a deadly rival.

They maybe in relatively good terms right now, but Kyoko would never forget that the girl had shoved her down a flight of stairs during their freshman year, just because of rumors that she was being favored by the dean to represent the school in the annual Criminology Conference. She had to go to the hospital due to a concussion and a broken wrist and found out while she was there that a senior was being sent to the conference and not her.

Kyoko managed to get even by getting a hold of the other girl's journal. She suspected that someone who had a squeaky clean image like Chiori Amamiya was bound to have an outlet where she could vent all her negativity. The aspiring profiler had then used the journal to _persuade_ Chiori to transfer to Kyoko's psychology class. Seeing her hard work firsthand had apparently been enough to earn her the brunette's grudging admiration.

Both of them had since then come to an unspoken agreement to keep the whole thing a secret. For Chiori, news of the incident would have dashed any hopes of graduating, and for Kyoko, the whole thing had been done and dealt with. There was no need to fuss over it anymore.

Kyoko glanced at the girl walking beside her. Yes, everything has been done and dealt with. But that doesn't mean she's letting her guard down anytime soon.

...

After the psych class with Chiori, Kyoko had been worried she might run into Sho Fuwa again. Thankfully, word around campus was he had just been around for a short visit to his dear alma mater like a dutiful alumnus. _Yeah, right, _Kyoko thought to herself. _Nothing but a visit to a place full of naïve admirers for a quick ego boost._ The young woman shrugged. It didn't really matter as long as he was gone.

The rest of the day passed by without any further incident, and before long, Kyoko found herself walking down the stone steps of the building where she had the last of her classes. She barely recalled any of the lectures made by her professors today, her mind drifting constantly towards the discussion she had with Hikaru and the others the previous night.

She had planned to think about it thoroughly after school, but she discovered that her mind had already been made up way before that.

_Time to face the music._

_

* * *

_

_Almost done with character introductions. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 6_

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_Time to face the music._

At least that was what she confidently told herself a minute ago. But it dawned on Kyoko that she hadn't the slightest clue what to do next now that she'd made up her mind. _Where to now?_ Not the police station. That would have made the whole thing about using her for the operation pointless. Maybe she could phone in. But the guys did say that there might be a spy among them. Who knows, the lines may have been bugged as well.

She raised her left arm to her chest and twisted her wrist towards her, the dial of her watch glittering against the afternoon sun. _5:14_. She had enough time before she started work if she needed to meet up with the others. She mentally smacked herself. She had been too preoccupied with being let out of her comfort zone that she forgot to ask how and when they would contact her regarding her decision.

As the young woman stood by the roadside, unsure of what to do next, a shiny white Audi stopped right in front of her. Kyoko instinctively took a few steps back, noticing that the car almost grazed the sidewalk, the passenger door uncomfortably close to her.

She was just about to turn and run when the top folded down and revealed a familiar face.

"Miss Mogami, would you like a ride?"

Ren Tsuruga painted a rather dashing picture, Kyoko had to admit to herself. Dressed in a maroon shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows and the top button undone, dark aviator shades matching his glossy hair, the young DA was the epitome of casual elegance.

And the car. Kyoko didn't know what the model of the convertible was but it sure looked great, and probably cost more than what she makes in a decade. She made a mental note to ask Ren about it later, you know, just in case she wakes up one day with a fairy godmother to grant her a few wishes.

The handsome man pulled his shades up with his left hand, the other opening the door for her. Kyoko stared at the car like it was about to eat her alive, while Ren watched her, a patient smile gracing his lips.

"Don't worry," he said when the young woman still hadn't budged from where she was standing, "I'll keep the top down. I'll even drive with the door open if you want."

_He's kidding, right?_ Kyoko risked a cautious glance at the man. He gave her a small smile, but his eyes were all business. Right. Not.

"Not much of a choice if you put it that way, Mr. Tsuruga." The young woman took slow and hesitant steps towards the car, the handsome man's smile growing bigger as she came nearer. She stopped for a moment at the open door, allowing Ren to withdraw his arm before sliding into the soft leather seat.

_This isn't too bad._ Kyoko glanced around her as the door clicked shut. Ample leg room. Leather interior. _Not bad at all._

She turned to her left at the man looking expectantly at her. "New car?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"What happened to the old one?" Kyoko remembered the car he had before, a blue Honda Civic. "It had to go," Ren replied, "you didn't like that one."

"Wha-," she started to stammer before his laugh clued her in on the joke. "Honestly! That wasn't funny at all." She leaned back and crossed her arms on her chest, face red as a tomato.

"Sorry," he apologized, still trying to stop laughing. "But you did refuse to ride in that car before," he whispered as he leaned down towards her. Kyoko's breath hitched and stopped altogether. _Too close. _Ren reached toward the side of her head and pulled the seatbelt to strap her in. As he did so, his fingers brushed her arms which she still had crossed in front of her. If she hadn't crossed them… Kyoko shook her head. This was Ren Tsuruga. He wouldn't touch her inappropriately.

"Mind if we drive around for a bit?" the object of her current thoughts asked her. She shook her head in response.

The engine revved up and they smoothly merged into traffic. After a while, the car turned left and they emerged on an almost empty road. Kyoko put her arms on top of the car door and rested her head on them, staring at the blur of houses and trees as their car passed them by.

"You never answered my question."

"What question? Oh, the Civic. Well," Ren paused briefly to think, "I sold that. I've been saving up for my dream car since I was sixteen, but every year my dream car kept changing." At this they both laughed. "But when I saw this," he patted the dashboard lovingly, "I said to myself, what the heck. I've scrimped for more than ten years and now I can afford an Audi R8 Spyder. I'm not waiting any longer."

Kyoko smiled, glad it really wasn't because of her that he bought a new car. Not that she actually expected him to do so, but with Ren Tsuruga, she couldn't really tell. It was easy for her to see what others were thinking or feeling, a small gesture here, a slight change in tone there, but with him, she was always left guessing. He was the lone exception to the skills she unintentionally honed through the years. She knew he was a good man, knows the fact without a doubt, but it was his mysterious quality, his unpredictability, that made her feel threatened. She didn't like uncertainty. Didn't like surprises. Things like that always inevitably left her hurt and alone.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. It had been more than a year since they first met. She could never forget that disastrous first meeting. That they got off on the wrong foot would have been a serious understatement. She stifled a giggle. He had criticized her inexperience and perceived lack of professionalism, and she'd gotten angry for his narrow-mindedness and callousness towards her. And the bickering had continued for a good while after that. Looking back, it felt like they'd gone a long way from those argument-filled encounters. And she was glad for those disagreements. It brought out emotions that were actually hers. She could get mad and let go without having to worry that she would disappoint someone with her behavior. That she would be pushed aside because she wasn't wanted anymore. She was glad that her opinions mattered enough for someone to argue with her, and her words wouldn't just be ignored.

She closed her eyes and smiled. Thankful that for once, there's someone she could be herself around. Someone whom she doesn't need to pretend for. Someone who doesn't seem to mind that she is imperfect.

Ren looked at the young woman by his side, and feeling as if her smile was contagious. What he'd give to see what she was thinking right now. _Maybe someday._

He sped up a little and looked at her again. Her smile had gotten wider, just like he thought.

Eyes still closed, Kyoko sensed that they were driving faster. Felt it as the wind whipped her bleached hair away from her face, soothing her troubled thoughts from her mind. She didn't think it was possible, but somehow she felt a teeny bit happier.

They drove in silence for a while before she asked him, "You weren't just passing by, were you?"

He smiled awkwardly, eyes still on the road. "Guilty as charged."

"Why?" she asked. "I knew you've already decided," he replied, "so I wanted to talk to you before you went to see the others."

Kyoko stared at him dumbfounded. Did he really know her that well?

"For what it's worth," the young man continued, "I don't think it's a good idea."

Kyoko opened her mouth to retort, but he stopped her with a raised hand. "It's not because I think you're not good enough." They stopped at a red light and Ren turned to face her fully. "It's because I… worry for you."

The young woman didn't know what to make of the words she just heard. _So the two of them must be friends now._ But there was something unfathomable in his eyes, and Kyoko had to force her eyes away.

"I won't disappoint," she managed to utter. "Truth is, I'm doing this more for myself than anything." That's right. This was something she had to do.

The light turned green and the handsome young man stepped on the gas. A little too excessively and they lurched forward. Ah, this she knew. Ren Tsuruga was terribly pissed.

They were running dangerously close to the speed limit now, and Kyoko wondered whether the ride will end up with him in jail or both of them dead. Neither one happened as she spotted the corner of her street. Once he stopped in front of her place, she breathed a sigh of relief. Home in one piece.

She unbuckled her seat belt and turned to go when Ren suddenly grabbed her wrist. Normally, this would have alarmed her but it looked like he had something important he wanted to say. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again, only to say "Good night." Then he let her go.

Confused, she advised him to drive safely, to which he only nodded. He wasn't looking at her anymore, but she waved goodbye anyway.

"We'll come by tomorrow night. Same time." And he drove off without another word, leaving Kyoko alone to think that somehow, her decision to help with the operation had made Ren immensely unhappy.

* * *

_Yay. I'm on a roll. Slow roll, but rolling nonetheless. Anybody reading this?_


	7. Chapter 7

**In Pathos**

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_Chapter 7_

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Just as promised, they did come the following night. All four of them. And judging by Yuusei's constant fidgeting, Ren hadn't told them yet of her decision. Kyoko glanced at the lawyer, wondering why he hadn't, but it seemed like he was intent on keeping that polite indifferent mask that he usually wore.

_Hmmm, doesn't really matter_, Kyoko decided as she prepared to sit down. Her bottom had barely grazed the couch when Yuusei suddenly shot up, bouncing anxiously on the balls of his feet.

"So, what's it gonna be?"

The eager young man rushed to get the words out of his mouth, the question sounding like a single word of an alien dialect.

"I'll do it," Kyoko replied quietly.

After hearing this, the twins high-fived each other, and Hikaru let out a very audible sigh of relief. Only Ren remained unaffected, still wearing the smile that appeared winsome to everyone. Well, except to Kyoko, who found it deeply unsettling.

The young woman admitted to herself that she could understand why Ren Tsuruga wasn't overly happy with the recent turn of events. He'd made it perfectly clear yesterday that he didn't like the idea of her being put in a dangerous situation. But she was sticking to her guns on this one. This was something she had, no _needed_, to do.

She focused her attention back to the trio who were still celebrating. She cleared her throat loudly, and they immediately stopped the ruckus they were making.

"I suppose you'd finally tell me what I have to do exactly?"

Instead of answering, Hikaru reached inside his coat pocket and took out two pieces of paper. He unfolded the papers, smoothed them down, and pushed them across the table towards Kyoko.

Intrigued, she glanced down and immediately, she saw the initials "V.G." in bold. She scanned the documents quickly and turned a questioning gaze at the auburn-haired detective.

"German mob?"

The three Ishibashis nodded in assent, while Ren remained quiet beside her, his smile getting wider and noticeably more put on.

Kyoko decided to ignore the handsome lawyer and continued asking the other three members of the merry little band. "It says here that they _probably_ started operations four years ago?" The three nod as one. "And there has been no identified high-ranking member of the group?" Another series of nods. "No cases have been filed? No confirmed base of operations?" Kyoko's voice had risen an octave higher with each question, all the while the gentlemen she had been conversing with had been continuously responding like a set of dashboard bobbleheads.

The young woman closed her eyes for a second. _This can't be happening._ Crime. Uncertainty. Danger. It seems like everything she hated was becoming part of this… this _thing_ that she had agreed to.

Too late to back out now, she finally decided. Besides, her need to take part in the operation still outweighed all the doubts she was having. She had to prove that she could stand on her own two legs. She wanted to be able to craft a different life that would be able to eclipse the past two decades. She would do this.

Kyoko opened her eyes and looked directly at Hikaru. "You said that we had a very short time to prepare. Is it because something big's coming up?"

"Yeah," he replied, amazement lacing his voice. He was surprised that Kyoko was able to deduce that fact from the very little information that they'd given her so far. "We got a tip from a reliable source within the organization. There's going to be a gathering next week and the top bosses of V.G. would be there."

"Apparently."

Kyoko turned to look at Ren who now had a frown marring his handsome features. His voice was very serious and his words deliberate when he spoke. "This _reliable_ source that you have. I still don't trust him."

"Or her." It was Yuusei who piped up.

"My point exactly," Ren answered without missing a beat. "We don't have enough information on this person. There are just too many variables unaccounted for."

"But this is our only chance," the eldest Ishibashi shot back. "The leads that he," Hikaru held a hand up to stop his youngest brother who was just about to interrupt, "or she, it, _whatever_, has given have never been wrong. And in case this is just wrong information, we haven't really got anything to lose."

Ren couldn't really argue with that. What the young detective said was true. It was a long shot, yes, but if everything goes according to plan, they could just have a chance at taking down one of the most secretive and most dangerous syndicates in recent years.

_If _everything goes according to plan.

He glanced down beside him, azure orbs locking with brilliant gold.

Hikaru was mistaken. If something went wrong, Ren would lose _everything_.

For whatever reason, Kyoko couldn't break away from Ren's intense gaze. He stared deep into her eyes, as if searching for an answer to a question that only he knew of.

After a good minute or so, and with a last look of resignation directed at her, the lawyer looked away and addressed the other men in the room.

"I suppose we'll go on ahead as we discussed before?"

It was Hikaru who once again answered for the three, glad that whatever weird moment that transpired between the Ren and Kyoko was finally over. There was only so much silent communication he could see before feeling uncomfortable.

"Y-yeah. The infiltration will commence as planned."

_Infiltration_. Kyoko felt unnerved by the word. It sounded so… invasive. She never thought that it was going to be a walk in the park, but now, things were starting to sound real serious.

She shifted her attention back to the conversation going on between the men, catching Shinichi as he was about finished talking.

"… absolutely no communication."

"Did I hear that right? I'm _not_ allowed to talk to you guys?"

"Well," Yuusei replied, "at least until you get off the boat."

"Uh… what boat?"

"Stop. STOP!" Shinichi's voice reverberated through the room's walls, effectively halting the increasingly confusing exchange. "Let me finish talking. And _you_," he poked his index finger repeatedly onto his tactless twin's chest, punctuating every word with a jab, "Don't. Go. Jumping. Ahead. Of. The. Story. You're giving people crazy-ass ideas."

"What's this about a boat?" Kyoko cast a suspicious glance at Shinichi. Last thing she wanted was to be told that she was going to pose as some immigrant and get illegally smuggled onto a boat.

"It's not a boat. Stop calling it a boat." He let out an exasperated sigh before glancing back at his younger brother. "This is all your fault, you moron."

Yuusei huffed indignantly. "Who are you to call me a moron?"

Kyoko could see the tension between the twins could rapidly escalate into a full-blown fistfight. But before she could say or do anything, a deep voice carried over the din.

"Argue later. We have more pressing matters on hand."

Shinichi and Yuusei let go of their hold on each other, suitably chastised. Ren was right, now wasn't the time to fight amongst themselves.

After a few quick words of apology, Shinichi continued with laying out the plan, which appeared pretty straightforward to Kyoko. She'd be in and out. All she had to do was listen and do a little poking around.

_Sounds simple enough._

* * *

_I've just reread this story and all I can say is… the first chapter really and truly sucks. Must do a rewrite._


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